


Nothing or Something

by marta1854



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2018-12-14 12:51:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11783529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marta1854/pseuds/marta1854
Summary: At ten Nai is alone, at sixteen she’s adopted by a farmer, then at twenty-five the dead woke up and she ends up getting more than she bargained for after finding and helping a one-handed redneck. Now it’s a one-handed redneck and a stubborn woman against the world as they make their way home. What could go wrong? Merle/OC sibling relationship, Daryl/OC eventual romance.I DO NOT OWN THE WALKING DEAD OR ITS CHARACTERS. ONLY NAI AND A FEW OTHERS.





	1. Meeting a One Handed Redneck

Chapter 1-Meeting a One Handed Redneck  
My name is Nai. Considering that it literally means the concept of nothing it's evident that my parents, if they could even be called that, didn't think much of me. Though anyone could figure that out after they abandoned me in the streets of Atlanta. All because when I hit the age of ten I was no longer useful to them thus could be discarded as the piece of nothing they viewed me as. But considering that I'm still alive and kicking after the dead woke up, fifteen years later, I'd say I proved them wrong. However, I did end up getting stuck, on my own, in the same city where I ended up living, working, and studying.  
I tried going home, to Old Man Greene’s, when the deadheads showed up in the city but the government closed off the city, no one in and no one out. The military bastards then took my car and told me to go home on foot. Not even an hour later the bombs dropped on the city, the number of deadheads skyrocketed, and people left got desperate. I needed to find a way to safely get out of the city on foot since I needed to avoid the living, not get eaten alive, and couldn’t hot-wire a car. So the first few weeks I spent observing the dead and testing theories. And now sixty-one days later the stench of the dead clung to me as I have perfected my camouflage against them.   
The jars of blood and guts connected to my bag took a while to collect and get the consistency right. You would think that it would have been easy, collecting the blood and guts of the dead, but just the slightest hint of me they attacked so it had to seem that it was coming from me and strong enough to cover the scent of me. Finally, I was able to safely leave the city and start my journey to Old Man Greene's farm. Hell, I could walk through a horde if I wanted to and I was almost tempted to. It would be the fastest route but then I would run the risk of getting randomly killed via survivors just killing deadheads at random. So the safest bet would be to mix walking through alleys and the streets.   
Walking down an alley, not even a block away from my apartment, I see feet sticking out from behind a dumpster. My hand flies to the handle of my knife at my side as I slowly approach them. Once in front of them I travel upwards to find a large graying man slumped against the wall with a still faintly smoking stump at his side. I reach out with my foot quickly and kick the kitchen knife he had behind me before I ask “Hey Mister? Ya alive?” His eyes snap open and his good arm reaches for the knife that was no longer there as he rasps out “Get the fuck away from me ya dead bastard!” “I’m alive. But won’t be for long if ya don’t calm the fuck down.” I tell him glancing around, knowing that the deadheads would be attracted to not only yelling but the faint smell of burned flesh as well, causing him to breathe out “What’?” as he stands up, his good arm’s hand clenched in a fist. He must have just collapsed here not long ago as the alley was still, at least at this second, clear of deadheads.  
“Shit.” I breathe out then when I hear a deadhead in the street roar meaning out time was running out, and fast. Turning I snatch up the knife he had, place it in the hem of my pants, and tell him “Look I don’t know who ya are but I’m not gonna let ya be deadhead chow.” As I approach him slowly while putting my own knife away. He was obviously suffering from blood loss and a very low low/initial withdrawal from whatever drugs he had been on. Having worked in a bar in a not so nice part of the city made me good at spotting addicts or even recovering/recovered addicts a mile away and he was definitely one but I couldn’t leave him here. When someone turned their deadhead was about five times stronger than its living counterpart, or at least it seemed like that. And I didn’t want to face this man’s deadhead or be responsible for his death so my only option was to help him before either happened.  
I could feel his pale blue eyes stare down at me as he sizes me up probably trying to figure out if I was a threat as I watch for deadheads that are sure to be coming any second. Unfortunately and at the same time luckily I probably wasn’t to someone of his stature, even in his current condition. Sure I knew how to handle my knife and knew self-defense but that wouldn’t help me much considering that I was probably less than half his weight and that he was still alive. Deadheads were easy but the living…most were desperate to ensure their own survival and most aren’t and or wouldn’t be too friendly to a female on her own so I’ve generally avoided them and I generally don’t have much experience in that department. I would need that experience to make it out unscathed if a fight between me and the living did go down but I couldn’t just leave this man here.   
“Come on. I don’t think ya wanna be deadhead chow.” I say taking a risk and throwing his good arm around my shoulders when one stumbles into view. “What’re ya doin’ Kid?” He questions leaning most of his weight on me but walks with me anyway so I question “Helpin’ ya. What’s it look like?” This causes him to chuckle out “Don’t need it Kid.” “Too bad. From where I’m standing ya do.” I counter earning the question of “What do ya want?” “Nothin’. It may be the end of the world but that don’t mean that it’s the end of who I am.” I scoff annoyed at the continued use of the label Kid. Though it’s better than the nickname ‘Jailbait Nai’ since most people initially viewed me as a child until they saw my I.D. or saw what I actually looked like under my baggy clothes. Curse my small physique. Though I wouldn’t correct him just yet, as if he continued to view me as a child I’d probably remain not a threat.   
Once back in the apartment building I lead us back to my apartment, which I only vacated maybe an hour ago. Unlocking the door I lead him in, kick the door shut behind us, and help him onto the couch before going to the door, locking it, and pushing the dresser back in front of it and placing his knife on it. Once that was done I go back over to him and say “Let me see.” Pointing to his stump. Staring me down again he slowly holds it out to me asking “What’s up wit yer eyes?” I keep my movements slow and cautious as I take it and inspect the damage and regurgitate the definition “Heterochromia iridum, is the difference in coloration in two anatomical structures or two parts of the same structure which are normally alike in color, usually of the iris of the eyes but also of hair or skin.”  
“Ya know what ya doin’ Kid?” He asks then so I tell him “Yeah. Old Man’s a vet and I was on track to be a doctor before the world went to shit. Ya did a good job at sealing the wound but it needs to be cleaned and dressed.” As I take my bag off and get the first aid kit and a bottle of water out of it. Setting them on the table I go and get a washcloth from the hall closet as he grumbles something under his breath. Rolling my eyes I come back and see him picking at the scab. “Trust me ya don’t wanna do that.” I say when I stand in front of him causing him to growl lowly but stop. “I’m sorry but I don’t have anything stronger than water. If I don’t do this it’ll get infected and ya’ll lose more than just the hand.” I tell him when I take hold of his stump again which caused him to wince as his good hand goes into a fist.   
“What’s yer name?” I ask then as I start the process to try and keep his probably still clouded mind off of it. “Merle Dixon.” He grunts so I quickly say “I’m Nai Greene. Ya just happened to get yer hand cut off when I decided that I could start making my way home. I didn’t even make it a block away till I found ya.” “Yer telling me ya’ve been here in this apartment the whole time?” He asks laughing so I say “No, I’m saying I’ve been in the city the whole time. Sure I’ve spent most of the time here in this building, bleeding it dry of resources, but I was out there when the deadheads got here. I tried going home but they closed off the city, no one in, no one out. Then they dropped those bombs tripling the number of deadheads and making it impossible for me to even attempt to head home without some sort of protection.”   
“Ya got siblings?” He asks then so I say “Two younger sisters and a younger brother.” “I got a brother, Daryl. He’s at a camp outside the city.” He tells me then so I say “Well, tomorrow I’d say ya’d be strong enough to go there if ya rest, eat, and drink. Ya seem like the type that can handle anything that’s thrown at ya.” “Why are ya helping me?” He asks again so I say “Because I can.” “That’s not an answer Kid.” He scoffs so I ask “Do I need a specific reason?” “Yes.” He answers staring me down again so I sigh, shrug, and say “I don’t know. Maybe since I would feel guilty if I left ya there and ya became deadhead chow or a deadhead. Or that I know what it’s like to be alone in a dangerous place. During and before this and that’s not a way I could leave someone. Or just because I have the means too. It doesn’t really matter when ya think about it.”   
“I don’t need yer help anymore and I ain’t into kiddies so there’s no reason to keep ya around.” He tells me then looking genuinely disgusted at the thought so I shrug and tell him “That’s fine. I had no intention of either. I have my own place to be and ya have yers.” This causes him to chuckle as I finish wrapping his arm, check my watch, sigh knowing I’ve basically wasted another day in the city by helping him as it was too late to head back out, pull out a packet of pop-tarts, and another bottle of water while I put the first-aid kit away before handing both to him saying “Ya can sleep in the spare room, the first on the right, or ya can sleep here on the couch. If ya take the couch there’s spare sheets in the hall closet, first on the left. I don’t have much left but yer welcome to anything left but please don’t break anything or leave until I get up. I’d like to have some sort of security.” He just looks at me like he couldn’t believe how stupid I was so I smile at him before I start to walk back to my room until I hear him mutter “Thanks for helpin’ me out Kid.” I look over my shoulder at him and tell him “Don’t mention it Dixon.” And chuckle a little when he looks over at me a little shocked that I heard him. “Don’t worry Dixon. I won’t tell anyone yer actually a decent guy.” I say winking at him before walking to my room chuckling as I hear him grumble something along the lines of “Damn Kid saying shit.”   
Once in my room I lock the door and push the dresser to block it too. For whatever reason I wholeheartedly trusted that the one-handed redneck called Merle Dixon that I dragged into my apartment wouldn’t hurt me but not that he wouldn’t leave before I got up. Like I told him, he probably was a decent enough man but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t leave me alone, in fact, I knew that he probably would and honestly expected it. It would be dangerous to his own survival to worry about someone else especially with his injury and the worst of his withdrawals that are sure to start in a few days. And if he wanted to get back to his brother he needed to do that quickly before they started, especially if they’re going to include seizures and hallucinations.  
I then restock my bag with the few supplies that I had hidden in my room, in case someone broke in and raided my main supplies. That done I check that the fire escape ladder I had was ready and waiting by the window before situating myself in my spot on the floor of my closet, with my knife resting at my side. Closing my eyes I listen to the sounds surrounding me, in and out of my apartment, like I’ve done every day after I made my way back here and after I finished doing what had to be done that day to conserve energy and sharpen my senses. This had probably saved me the few times I was searching the lower levels and heard faint voices of survivors so I locked and blocked the doors of the apartment I was in before they got to it and caught me off guard. After a few hours my watch quietly beeps telling me that the sun was about to set so I shut off the alarm and lay down with my knife now resting in my hand. Deadheads often got more active when the sun went down so it was safer to get to a secure location before, thus the alarm.  
****Time Skip****   
The quite beeping of my watch woke me up like normal. Shutting it off, I listen for any sound of danger before I put my knife back in its sheath at my side and then stretching. Putting my bag back on I get out of the closet and move the dresser away from the door. Unlocking the door, I open it, head into the hallway, check the spare room, shrug, and head to the front door but stop when I hear “Just gonna leave without goodbye Kid?” from behind me. Looking over my shoulder I find Merle sitting at my table finishing off a bag of chips. “Yes.” I say as I move the dresser to the side and am about to unlock the door when he says “I was thinkin’…” trailing off. Sighing I turn and look at him asking “About what?” “Ya have my knife.” He says then so I sigh out “I left it on this dresser and it’s not there anymore so ya have it. What were ya really thinking about?” “Ya really just gonna head out on yer own?” He asks so I tell him “Get to the point Dixon.” He doesn’t say anything so I shake my head and tell him “The spare key’s on top of the door. Please lock it when ya leave.” Before heading out the door. Whatever it was probably had to do with whatever he dreamed or hallucinated about last night.  
****Time Skip****  
I was almost out of the city when I suddenly hear heavy footsteps followed by "Well if it isn't little Jailbait Nai." from behind me. Whipping around I come face to face with a group of five gangbangers that frequented the bar that I worked at. I instantly feel my skin crawl and my heart drop into my stomach seeing the look of lust in their eyes. Unlike at work I didn’t have the bartender or bouncer to help out if they got physical. My hand flies to the handle of the knife at my side when they start approaching, resisting the urge to run knowing I wouldn’t make it far. I'd witnessed many of their knife games when the darts “went missing” and knew how accurate their aim was. My best bet would be to try and take them out quickly or injure their hands so I could run. If I failed I didn’t even want to think about what they’d do to be before leaving me for dead, killing me, or taking me with them.  
They stop a few steps away and the leader looks me up and down licking his lips saying "The apocalypse has been kind to ya." "Really? I don't believe it's been kind to anyone." I retort proud that my voice didn't crack but that was short lived when he quickly takes me by the head and slams me into the alley wall. My head connects to the brick wall painfully, instantly causing black spots to explode into my vison, and causing me to drop my knife while my knees buckle at the pain so the only thing keeping me up was his hand pressing my head into the wall. But I still manage to calmly ask him "What’re ya doing?" causing him to falter a bit, as I was probably not reacting how they wanted, but that's when another says "Shut up bitch. We're gonna have some fun with ya." "I think we have different definitions of fun." I say reaching up and grabbing his arm, trying to relieve some of the pressure he was putting on my head. This causes them to laugh as the leader rips my shirt open before throwing me to the ground causing them to swarm me.  
I quickly get up and try to run but get grabbed again as they keep laughing. I’m gagged before I’m thrown back to the ground and get swarmed again and know that at this point I’m screwed and need to do anything I can to get away. Struggling hard as they try to unbutton my pants I manage to kick one of them in the face, hearing the satisfying crack of his nose breaking. He stumble back choking on his own blood before falling motionless causing one to run over and check his pulse before growling “He’s dead. The bitch killed him.” That’s when I get punched in the face before getting a knife pressed to my throat as the leader says “I was gonna make it enjoyable for ya but now we’re gonna rip ya apart.”   
I glare at him causing him to chuckle before he suddenly freezes and falls on top of me with a knife sticking out of the back of his head. This causes the others to loosen their grip on my arms a little as they stare at something down the alley and say “Woah man take it easy. There’s enough of her to go around. We don’t mind sharing.” “Get the fuck away from her.” I hear Merle growl then so I rip my arms away before ripping the knife out of the leader’s head and driving it into the knee of one of them. “You bitch!” He screeches and falls as there’s the sound of fighting with the two others. A deadhead roars as I then rip the knife out of the guy’s knee and push the leader’s body off of me. Time was running out, and quickly.  
Standing I kick him growling “Shut up bitch.” Before I grab the knife the leader had from the ground and drive it into the head of one of the one’s fighting Merle. Now one on one Merle has the upper hand, even with only one, and is able to slam the guy’s face into the wall repeatedly. “Dixon! Come on!” I call grabbing my knife off the ground when deadheads start stumbling into the alley from the street. With one more smash he nods at me so I take off down the alley with him close behind before the few guys still living started screaming as they get torn apart. And I don’t stop running till I couldn’t hear the screaming anymore.   
Breathing heavily I back up into the wall and sink to the floor, my whole body shaking. From the adrenaline crash and knowing what almost just happened. “Ya okay Kid?” Merle asks, gentler than I ever thought was possible from the large man as he kneels in front of me. Slowly looking up at him I couldn’t stop the tears from falling then seeing the true concern in his eyes as I ask “Why? Why did ya help me?” “Cuz I ain’t gonna let anyone touch anyone or especially ya like that Kid.” He tells me as he places his good hand on my shoulder. “Thanks.” I whisper throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him before quickly releasing him coughing awkwardly.  
He chuckles as he touches the side of my face that was hit saying “Them bastards did a number on ya.” Before his eyes trail down and he asks “Ya got another shirt?” Looking down I remember that my poor shirt was now ruined and my chest was visible for anyone to see. Though luckily I opted to wear a sports bra so it wasn’t that much being revealed. “Stop that.” I growl then realizing that Merle was checking me out causing him to chuckle and asks “Ya not really a Kid are ya?” “Old Man’d say otherwise.” I state standing up and tying the shirt together not wanting to dig through my bag for another shirt or waste time changing it.   
“I could get used to that look, Peepers.” He says standing up and looking me up and down so I roll my eyes and tell him “Down Dixon.” He chuckles again starting to walk away but pauses, looks over his shoulder at me, and asks “Ya comin’ or what?” “Ya know how to hot wire a car?” I ask then causing him to scoff and say “Yeah, just gotta find a good one.” Sighing I nod and catch up to him, I mean it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have him around. “What did ya mean when ya said especially me?” I ask then but he just grumbles “Don’t worry about it.” So I groan out “Men.”


	2. Journey with the Eldest Dixon

Chapter 2-The Journey with the Eldest Dixon

_Day One_

 “I never did ask what happened.” I muse motioning to his stump that was now fashioned into a weaponized prosthetic after coming across a medical supply warehouse as we searched for a decent car causing Merle to say “Got carried away, got cuffed to a roof, got left, and cut it off to get off the roof.” “Ya do all this high off yer ass?” I ask causing him to give me a look that answered the question so I explain “Don’t take it personal. I worked at a bar in a not so nice part of the city and could spot an addict, no matter what stage, a mile away. And I’m saying this now because yer gonna get hit with the worst of the withdrawals soon unless ya don’t stay sober.” “Naw, I gotta stop before the shit kills me. Might as well do it now.” He states so I hum before I spot something shiny in a decomposing body’s hand. I stop and pick it up saying “Hey.” He stops and looks at me so I shake the keys as I smirk asking “Wanna go on a treasure hunt?” He grins and chuckles out “Peepers ya might have just have the best luck.” “No, ya do. Cuz ya got me on yer side.” I say winking and walking past him.

  When we find the white Volkswagen Beetle the keys were to I chuckle out “Looks like we found Herbie.” Noting how someone decided to vandalize the car with the number fifty-three in spray paint. “Just unlock it.” Merle growls annoyed so I chuckle as I do so. I check inside it, never know if a deadhead is chilling inside, before reaching in and popping the trunk. Walking around to the back with Merle he opens it up and reveals a small box with food and water and an empty gas can. That’s when my watch beeps signaling that the sun was about to set. I shut it off as Merle asks “What was that?” “Alarm when the sun’s about to set.” I tell him showing him the watch causing him to ask “Why?” “Sometimes the deadheads get more active at night.” I explain causing him to grunt out a “Huh.” As he grabs a bit of food and water from the trunk before shutting it.

“What do you think we should do?” I ask going to the driver side as he goes to the passenger side causing him to look at me a minute before saying “Its yer call Peepers.” “We should probably rest while we can since there isn’t many around these parts of the city anymore. We’ll get out of here in the morning.” I tell him so he nods as he gets in the car. Sighing I take my bag off and put it in the back before getting in myself. “Here. I haven’t seen ya eat yet.” He mutters dropping one of the bottles of water and a couple granola bars in my lap. “Don’t worry Dixon I won’t keel over anytime soon.” I tell him causing him to scoff and put the seat back, his feet on the dash, and close his eyes. I chuckle then and eat and drink before locking the doors, putting the key under the visor, lean my seat back a little, and close my eyes listening to Merle’s light breathing and quiet world outside.

_Day Two_

“Are ya sure he’s still here?” I ask as I drive up the dirt path towards a camp at a quarry, according to the Merle. “No, but I know he’s alive. Ain’t no one can kill a Dixon but a Dixon.” He answers holding up his weaponized stump so I say “Maybe that’s cuz they keep doin’ stupid shit.” This causes him to grumble before we notice faint smoke raising into the sky. “Dixon…” I trail off causing him to say “I see it, Peepers.” I park the car once we get to a clearing with nothing but a pile of still burning bodies and a stripped out red sports car. Getting out I wonder aloud “It looks like they got attacked by deadheads. But the question is where did they go?” looking around at the black and red dried blood on the ground.

“Morgan. Going to CDC. This area not safe. Rick.” Merle growls from in front of the side of the sports car so I go over asking “You know this Morgan?” “No must be Officer Friendly’s friend.” He scoffs walking away so I sigh and follow him back to the car. “My brother didn’t leave anything behind ‘an took my damn bike too.” He growls slamming his flesh hand on the trunk so I place my hand on his arm asking “Would he go with them though?” “Who knows?” He scoffs shrugging me off so I roll my eyes and say “Well if he did they won’t find much. The CDC is sure to be a pile of rubble any day now if it isn’t one now.” “What’re ya talkin’ ‘bout Peepers?” He asks giving me a glare so I explain “The CDC is home to some of the most dangerous diseases, half of which we, the public, don’t even know about, thus in the result of a fallout, government takeover, power failure, or terrorist attack HIT’s, or high-impulse thermobaric fuel-air explosives which consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive except nuclear, are deployed to prevent them from getting out. It basically sets the air on fire and blows up the building. Once the generators runs or ran out of fuel or people to fill it, boom. Bye, bye building and anything inside within seconds.”

This causes him to stare at me for probably a good three minutes and I could almost see his brain overheating before he gives up and asks “Whatever. What direction is the CDC and yer Old Man’s place?” “My Old Man’s place?” I ask with my eyebrows raised causing him to state “Answer the question Peepers.” “Okay…” I say and point in the general direction that they were in adding “The CDC is in that direction if it hasn’t been blown to smithereens and my Old Man’s farm is in that direction.” “So we’ll go that way, better to keep going than go back.” He says so I ask “Ya sure? My family’s not holding their breath for my return. I’m sure they think I’m dead.”

He glares at me then saying “Yet ya were gonna head their on yer own.” “Look, I’m not saying we shouldn’t go there. I’m saying that I don’t mind if we look for yer brother first.” I tell him causing him to huff and say “Ya said so yerself, they won’t find much so who knows where they went after. It’d be better for us to go there instead of where Daryl might have gone.” As he walks up to the driver’s side. “I guess that’s true. Here.” I tell him before tossing him the keys and walking up to the passenger’s side. Sure, it might be a bad idea for him to be driving with his withdrawals looming but he was angry and needed something to get his mind off of the fact that he was forgotten, again, so fuck it. With that he gives me a nod and we both get in and we’re quickly on our way.

_Day Three_

__“Could ya at least act like yer not doing it on purpose?!” I shout after Merle purposely swerved to hit another deadhead with the car but he just grunts at me in response. I sigh and shake my head but don’t take it further. He needed to vent, and if that involved roadkill deadheads, so be it, especially with anxiety, depression, agitation/irritability, restlessness, delirium, paranoia, mental confusion, disorientation, and racing thoughts all being symptoms of withdrawals. These accompanied by the fact that he was abandoned by the group he had been with twice… I couldn’t begin to imagine the thoughts swimming around in his head.

_Day Four_

Not even a mile from where we’d stopped for the night black smoke started billowing from under the hood, the car sputtered, and quickly died. Merle angrily grunts as he gets out of the car before slamming the door shut and stalking to the front of the car. I get out and get hit with the smell of burnt flesh and hair along with the smell of the dead and now I have a pretty good idea of what the problem was. He opens the hood then, which releases a cloud of black smoke and makes the smell stronger. I wave the smoke out of my face as I join him.

“Ya killed Herbie.” I mutter staring at the blood, guts, etc. now clogging the engine, to which he just grunts angrily again. He slams the hood shut so I go and collect my bag before he grunts out a “Come on.” And stalks off into the woods. Groaning I quickly follow him as there’s the faint sound of vehicles approaching from the way we came. “It’s about a two day walk to the farm from here.” I tell him after I catch up to him to which he growls “Then let’s get going.” So I just sigh and follow him, knowing that he was probably starting to be increasingly irritable both from already being angry from being left behind and from the symptoms of his withdrawals. The last thing I needed was for him to direct that anger at me now that he could no longer vent by hitting deadheads with a car.

_Day Five_

It was unnerving how noisy the forest was from the sound of deadheads even after the sun came up. It wasn’t until one fell out of the bushes from in front of us that I stopped. “It’s just one.” Merle growls stopping himself and looking back at me as two more stumbled out from behind it so I shake my head saying “No it’s not.” He looks back just as more stumble out and another that wasn’t in the group in front of us roars. A small group was easy enough to evade and or re-kill, especially with two people, but this wasn’t a small group. It seemed that for each one, three more emerged from the trees, meaning that we had stumbled upon a horde. Unfortunately, Merle wasn’t thinking right and just points his bayonet at them. Growling out a “Damnit Dixon! Come on!” then, I grab his flesh hand and start running in the opposite direction, dragging him behind me.

And it wasn’t until we’re back on the road that I stop running. “What was that Peepers?! We could have taken them!” Merle shouts at me as I turn and look down the road for any indication that the deadheads were still following us. “That was a fucking horde, ya Moron! They would have torn us to shreds!” I shout, whirling around to face him. And as I expected, I was then greeted by a growled “What did ya just say?!” “Ya heard me Dixon.” I growl standing my ground as I glare up at him causing him to return the glare and get in my face as he growls “Don’t test me Girl.” “Do ya want to die? ‘Cuz if ya continue this tirade against the world yer gonna.” I tell him causing a low growl to come from the back of his throat but I continue anyway “Just so ya know, the next time ya go to do something stupid like what ya did back there, I’ll let ya. I’m not gonna die because of ya.”

“Should’ve known that’s what ya’d say.” He scoffs then causing an involuntary laugh to escape my throat before I shake my head saying “Ya don’t know me Dixon.” “I know enough. Yer just like every other chick out there. Think yer better than everyone else.” He retorts so I scoff and nod saying “Yeah. And yer just like every other guy out there. Ya pretend to care until it’s no longer beneficial to ya.” He steps back, like I slapped him, before his face is one of rage as he growls “If that’s how ya felt, why’d ya come with me?!” “I don’t fucking know! For whatever reason I thought I could trust ya!” I exclaim before turning it back on him with a “Why’d ya want me to come with ya anyway? I remember leaving ya and ya following me. Not the other way around.” With that another growl comes from him as his flesh hand tightens into a white knuckled fist.

I was pushing my luck right now but I wouldn’t back down. Hell, I couldn’t back down, if I did, I would be like every other woman in his life. I would just be the thing my biological parents wrote me off as and I’ve worked too hard to prove them wrong. And the tension right now was so thick I’m sure that even the deadheads could feel it. After a good ten minute stare down he backed down with a huff before he drags his flesh hand over his face. So I smirk, turn on my heel, and say “Come on Dixon.” As I walk back into the woods.

_Day Six_

__“I’m sorry about yesterday.” Merle suddenly says causing me to stop, turn to look at him, and tell him “Don’t worry about it. I’m a big girl.” “That ya are.” He replies looking me up and down so I roll my eyes and state “Not a chance Dixon.” That was when the sound of a gunshot rang through the forest causing both of us to drop to the ground in a crouch. For once I was annoyed that the trees bounced noise around, making it impossible to tell the direction it came from, if there was more than one it’d be possible but with just one it bounces around too much. We didn’t have the weapons to defend ourselves versus a gun, with just a knife/bayonet, our wits, and our hand-to-hand, it’d latterly be bringing a knife to a gun fight.

“What do we do?” I whisper harshly to Merle who just says “We need better weapons.” “No shit!” I growl so he huffs before saying “We should go somewhere where we could get them.” “And where would that be genius? It’s a small town and I doubt anyone left weapons behind. Even if they did it wouldn’t be that beneficial.” I state annoyed causing him to huff again before saying “The highway.” “The highway?” I ask unsure if I heard him right so when he just nods I growl “Oh come on.” Before I have a light bulb go off as I remember the housing development causing me to breathe out “That’s it.” Merle gives me a pointed look then probably wondering if I’d finally lost it so I smirk and say “They built a housing development maybe ten years ago. If we’re going to find anything useful in the words of weapons, it’d be there. Probably even find another car.”

_Day Seven_

As expected it seemed that most of the residents bugged out the second they could, since there was little destruction and little trash. It also meant that we could take our time searching the buildings. But going building to building was easier said than done. Most of the residents took the time to lock their door, so did I, but still. I did it so I would have a semi-secure place to go back to if needed while these people did it to protect what they left behind. And each time we came upon a locked door I had to stop Merle from physically breaking in via the door or one of the windows.

“Stop that!” I hiss having done just that for what felt like the hundredth time causing him to huff out a “Why?” “”Cuz! I’d like the fact that there aren’t any deadheads around to stay true.” I growl gesturing around at the emptiness of the neighborhood causing him to huff again but this time he follows me to the back without another word. And like all the others the back door was unlocked. However, when we walked in, the inside was significantly different than the others. Inside everything was in place and nothing seemed to be missing or taken.

Cautiously we move to the hall to check the rooms. Opening one of the doors we discover a blood spattered child’s room. In the bed laid said child, with a single gunshot wound to the head. I frown as we slowly shut the door leaving them alone before going to what must be the parent’s room and opening the door. There the walls were also blood spattered. The mother and father were both dead in the bed, and like the child had a single gunshot wound to the head, with a pistol in the father’s hand and a bloodied note on the side table. “Murder suicide?” I wonder aloud as Merle picks up the note so he nods as he reads it off “Dear stranger, I did this out of love. Better for them to die in their sleep then to die due to those things. May God forgive me.”

_Day Eight_

__“Why can’t anything be easy?” I groan when our search for weapons, so far, only yields a few pistols, maybe three handfuls of ammo, and more hand-to-hand weapons as we sat in the middle house of the abandoned houses of the neighborhood causing Merle to chuckle out “It’s not that bad Peepers. We’re only half-way done.” Now that he was done being pissed off at the world it was now like I was traveling with an overgrown and annoying child. Though I guess overgrown and annoying child was better than pissed at everything redneck. Not that that helped me not get annoyed with him, about almost everything he says or does to purposely annoy me. Which he did more often than not now, so much so that I was seriously questioning my sanity by sticking around instead of just leaving him.

  _Day Nine_

__“Ya hear that?” I ask having heard the faint sound of a car approaching while looking over at Merle. He nods so I walk over to the window and watch as a blue car drives into the circle. “Merle.” I hiss when it stops and motion for him to come over as I wait for whoever to come out of it. “Bastards.” He instantly growls when a bald man and a blonde woman steps out of it causing me to look at him and ask “Ya know them?” “Yeah.” He scoffs turning away from the window before saying “They’re part of my old group.” “Why don’t we ask them for information about yer brother?” I offer but he just shakes his head saying “Naw. They’d just lie or might just kill us.” “Exactly how much of an ass where ya to yer group?” I ask then causing him to huff and mutter “What do ya think?” So I sigh out a “Come on. Let’s get out of here before they attract deadheads.”

_Day Ten_

__“I swear yer a child.” I mutter after Merle suggest checking out the bar that wasn’t obviously looted. “It’s the only place we haven’t checked yet.” He defends causing me to sigh out a “Fine.” Before glaring at him and stating “It’ll start getting dark soon but we’re not sticking around there.” Which causes him to mutter “Yeah, yeah.” So I sigh again and run a hand through my hair, attempting to untangle it, as I trail behind him. The small town was relatively untouched by the destruction that plagued the city but there was a clear sign of the deadhead’s presence. Half of the windows were broken or boarded and there was still evidence of blood stains on the pavement.

 And like I theorized there wasn’t any useable weapons to be found here but it was worth a shot. With the fact that we saw two people from Merle’s old group and heard the gunshot the other day, better have as many options as possible. And I had a feeling his paranoia about the two from his group wasn’t entirely unjustified, as from what I saw from the window the guy was a loose cannon and starting to blur the lines between right and wrong while the girl was full of herself and was bound to get someone killed, if she hadn’t already. Though this time spent looking took away from me getting home it wasn’t like they were anxiously waiting for my return, like I told him back at the quarry. My guess is that they thought I was dead after the first month that I didn’t get there.

However, what I didn’t expect happened when Merle opened the door to the bar and we stepped inside. As soon as our foot hit the floor inside gunshots went off causing both of us to crouch to the ground and draw our respective pistols. “Holly shit…its Merle.” A male breathes out from in front of us before the door slams shut behind us causing Merle to bolt up growling “Chinaman.” I grab his arm before he could raise his pistol when I just barely hear Hershel breathe out “Nai.” There sitting at the bar was Hershel Greene, my adoptive father, white as a ghost. “So ya really thought I was dead. Huh, Old Man.” I say running a hand through my hair, again, and putting my pistol away, causing him to all but scream at me “What were we supposed to think?!” “Maybe have a little hope!” I snap before I get pulled behind Merle as he growls “Officer Friendly.”

But before anything else could happen the distinct sound of a car approaching is heard causing who must be said Officer Friendly to harshly whisper “Car. Car. Get down.” We all drop in a crouch and move to the front with the others as the car stops, people get out, and a man’s voice asks “Dave? Tony?” “He said over here?” Another asks causing another to say “Yeah. I’m telling you man, I heard a shot.” “I saw roamers two streets over. Might be more around here.” the second one says as the first says “It’s hot. We gotta get out of here.” “Dave! Tony!” the third calls causing the first to say “Shut up, you idiot! You wanna attract ‘em? Just stick close. We’re gonna find ‘em.” as we hear them walk closer. “Dude, he said to stay close.” The second says then as we hear them walk away. This was not gonna go well, I just knew it.

Officer Friendly stood and checked out the window carefully before crouch walking over to all of us. “Why won’t they leave?” The Asian whispers causing me to roll my eyes as Hershel whispers “Would you?” “We can’t sit here any longer. Let’s head out the back and make a run to the car.” Officer Friendly whispers before pausing and adding “That includes you two.” I place a hand on Merle’s arm and give him a ‘You can settle your issue later.’ Look before nodding at Officer Friendly. We all get up to go when we have to quickly get back down again hearing gunshots. “What happened?” the first man asks causing the third to say “Roamers, I nailed ‘em.” “They disappeared, but their car’s still there.” The second informs so the first says “I cleared those buildings. You guys get this one?” “No.” “Me neither.” The second and third state causing the first to say “We’re looking for Dave and Tony and no one checks the damn bar?”

We then hear footsteps approach and Officer Friendly readies his gun as I redraw mine. However when the door opened the Asian quickly scooted over and blocked the door, and thus alerting them of our presence. “What?” the first asks causing the second to say “Someone pushed that shut. There’s someone in there.” Before calling “Yo, is someone in there? Yo, if someone’s in there, we don’t want no trouble. We’re just looking for our friends.” “What do we do?” the first asks then so the third offers “Bum rush the door?” “No, we don’t know how many are there. Just relax.” The second says before calling “We don’t want any trouble. We’re just looking for our friends. If something happened, tell us. This place is crawling with corpses. If you can help us not get killed, I’d appreciate it.” “Dude, you’re bugging. I’m telling you nobody’s in there.” The third says so the second says “Someone grab the door. If they’re in there, they might know where Dave and Tony are.”

They start walking away but Officer Friendly announces “They drew on us!” causing me to give Merle a ‘Is he serious?’ look. Merle nods giving me a ‘He’s serious.’ Look as they come back and the second asks “Dave and Tony in there? They alive?” Officer Friendly looks conflicted but tells the truth and says “No.” “They killed Dave and Tony.” The second says then so the first says “Come on, man, let’s go.” But the second says “No, I’m not leaving, I’m not telling Jane. I’m not gonna go back and tell them that Dave and Tony got shot by some assholes in a bar.” “Your friends drew on us! They gave us no choice! I’m sure we’ve all lost enough people, done things we wish we didn’t have to, but it’s like that now. You know that! So let’s just chalk this up to what it was, wrong place, wrong-“Officer Friendly announces only to get cut off by gunshots blowing out the window above the Asian’s head.

Officer Friendly gets up and fires back ordering us “Get out of here! Go!”  So I grab Merle’s hand and pull him with me as I follow the Asian and Hershel to the back of the bar, since I knew if I didn’t he probably would’ve just shot Officer Friendly himself. Hell, at this point I might do it because of his damned stupidity. And we all duck for cover as they fire back, breaking some of the bottles on the tables. When there was a lull in the shooting Officer Friendly empties his casings onto the floor and refills his gun as he calls “Hey! We all know this is not gonna end well! There’s nothing in it for any of us! You guys just-just back off, no one else gets hurt!” That’s when there’s a sound of garbage cans rattling from behind the bar. “Don’t do anything stupid.” I whisper to Merle before I get up and follow the Asian to check it out as Merle quietly grumbles out an “I know, Peepers. I know.”

And it’s a good thing I did because I have to stop him from doing the stupid thing and opening the door with his hand. Looking at me shocked I motion to the shotgun he had before holding my pistol ready. He gets the hint, has it ready, and uses it to open the door. Walking down the stairs, side by side, we both internally cringe and freeze when one of the stairs creaks beneath our feet. When no obvious sound happens we continue and make it to the middle of the back room before a bottle clatters outside. “Shit!” a man harshly whispers causing us to both look at the back door as he cocks his shotgun, causing me to sigh realizing that it wasn’t cocked this whole time. We watch and raise our guns as the doorknob slowly turns, both of us probably hoping that it was locked. But that wasn’t the case as the lock clicked causing us both to shoot a single shot that shattered the widow.

“Glenn!” “Nai!” the others call then so we both announce “We’re all right.” Before we go to opposite sides of the door and look from our spots out the broken window as we both re-cock our guns. A few minutes go by and we hear footsteps from behind causing us both to spin ready, only for it to be Hershel. I sigh and lower my gun as he pushes the shotgun away causing the Asian, or I guess Glenn, to apologize “Sorry. Sorry.” “Rick wants you two to try for the car.” Hershel says causing Glenn to ask “Try?” “You’ll try and succeed. I’ll cover you.” Hershel says and I sigh again as Glenn nods and sarcastically says “That’s a great plan.” “It’s as good a plan as any. Besides yer not doing it alone.” I say looking at Glenn before back at Hershel and adding “Dixon?” “Covering Rick.” Hershel informs causing Glenn to breathe out “You’re kidding me.” “We’re all trying to get out of this alive. Whatever issue Dixon has with Officer Friendly isn’t priority.” I scoff before going over and pushing the door open.

When it wasn’t shot at I ask “Ya coming or what?” before slipping out the door. I’m soon joined by Glenn and after a few more steps we duck as gunshots ring out. Bullets hit the brick wall as we ran towards cover, but I stumble when one hits me in the leg. Glenn pulls me behind the dumpster with him as a man starts groaning. “Damn it.” I hiss when I touch the wound and realize the shot didn’t go through as Glenn is low-key freaking out. “Are you hit?” I hear Officer Friendly, or I guess Rick, ask as he joins us behind the dumpster causing Glenn to answer “Not me, she is.” They both look at me so I growl “I’m fine it’s just a graze. Get to the damn car so we can get out of here.” Neither of them believe me as they look down at my leg but they get up to go anyway only to have to get back quickly as gunshots hit the side of the dumpster.

Rick glances out from behind the dumpster as there’s the sound of tires squealing before a man yells “Let’s get out of here! Roamers all over the place! Hurry up! We gotta get out of here!” “What about Sean?!” another yells as I shrug off my backpack causing the first to yell back “They shot him. We gotta go. Roamers are everywhere.” “We’re leaving?” another asks causing the previous one to yell “Jump!” “Hurry up, jump already.” They yell as I get my already ripped shirt out of my bag, thankful that I didn’t toss it, and use my knife to cut strips to bind my leg, for the time being, before there’s the sound of someone screaming in pain. “Dude didn’t make it.” Glenn whispers as the guy starts yelling “Help me!”

But his buddie just yells back “I’ve gotta go. I’m sorry!” before driving off as the guy yells “No, no, don’t leave! Help me! No! No! Help! Help!” “Get Hershel and Merle.” Rick tells Glenn before he runs off towards the yelling so Glenn stands and looks back before yelling “Hershel! Merle!” I pull myself up then, having finished my temporary binding and pulled my bag back on, in time to see deadheads swarm a guy on the ground, who was unfortunate enough to still be alive as he started screaming. Hershel shoots one of the deadheads as Merle makes his way over so Glenn yells again “Hershel!” “Ya alright Peepers?” Merle asks when his eyes land on my leg, during his look over, as Hershel finally stops staring and comes over so I just say “We can worry about it later. Let’s just get out of here.”

The two others nod and start moving but Merle isn’t happy about my answer as he growls and steps closer to me. “I’m fine.” I repeat only for him to growl “Yer not.” Before he picks me up, bridle style. “Damn it Dixon. I’m fine.” I growl only for him to sarcastically say “Yeah, sure.” As he carries me towards the other two before they run across the street with Hershel yelling “Rick!” We watch as they argue about the fate of the guy, who was just shooting at us and who had managed to impale himself on the fence. They ultimately agree to save him but looking to the side, there was deadheads everywhere. “These idiots.” I mutter as I decide to commence target practice and drop a few deadheads along with Glenn and Rick. Within seconds it was obvious there wasn’t any more time so Rick makes the ultimate decision and forces the guys leg back the way it came causing him to emit a scream that probably alerted every deadhead not already coming.


	3. Chapter 3-Hallmark Moment

Chapter 3- Hallmark Moment

Sometimes I wonder how the hell I’m still alive. I mean come on, before the “awakening” of the dead heads I was just trying to prove that I wasn’t nothing while working as a waitress at a bar to pay for rent and College. Sure it was on the wrong side of town but that was because the pay was triple what it was in better parts of the city and not because I was some badass who wasn’t at risk anytime I walked through the doors. I was just a stubborn girl who could sort of handle themselves and was decent enough friends with the bartender and bouncer that if things did get physical they’d help out. But I guess I did sort of become a badass after the “awakening” since I did survive on my own in the now dead city for sixty-one days and then befriended and earned the respect of the badass one-handed redneck Merle Dixon.

Then again Officer Friendly and, possibly the last Asian left alive, Glenn almost did get Merle and I killed only seconds after meeting or in his case re-meeting them and I’m going to have a scar on my leg to prove it when the bullet wound heals. And being shot fucking hurts by the way. Then the Old Man isn’t any better, especially with him drinking in a dead town’s bar and following the orders of one Mr. Officer Friendly. It’s bad enough that the dead is walking around and eating the living and that I’ve had to deal with Merle and his well, Merle-ness, for the last few days. At least I sort of liked Merle’s company, not that I’d tell him that, and that he actually listened to what I said, I mean not all the time but at least when it mattered. Seriously, who the hell in their right mind thinks it’s a good idea to shoot two people in a bar, at dusk, and with deadheads and probably the rest of their group out and about?

I’m so not looking forward to meeting the rest of the group who cuffed Merle to a roof and left him there, regardless of the fact that he deserved to be cuffed there for a few minutes while coming down from his high and after getting into a fist fight with one of them. Then again this isn’t counting the shit show that was going to happen if Merle’s brother wasn’t in said group anymore. Though who knows if he ditched them long ago or if they got him killed already. But I only know what Merle has told me, so who knows.

At least it seems that Merle’s “need” for revenge against Rick was on the back-burner as he was currently sitting calmly with me in the back of the car. Or maybe they hashed it out while holding off the other group. Though the thought has crossed my mind that I should’ve just let him beat him and Glenn to death. At this point thought I’d settle with just getting out of the car as the kid, who informed us, when we stopped to cauterize his wound, blindfold him, and tend to my leg, that his name was Randall, groaned in pain anytime we hit a bump. And I mean every time, not just the bad ones either, even the small ones elicited a half yelp and groan. It’s bad enough that I’m stuck in the back of the car with Merle, that I’m desperately in need of a shower now, that I was going on almost a day of no sleep, and since the bullet is still in my leg, I’m under strict orders from Hershel not to put pressure on my leg or basically move it. All because it doesn’t seem to have hit anything important in its current location and putting pressure on it or moving it could move the bullet to a place neither I nor Hershel want it to be when it comes time to get it out. So I don’t need to hear groaning every time the car moves as Merle wasn’t even that bad and he cut off his own hand, cauterized the stump, and made it however far he did before collapsing.

Unfortunately it wasn’t until it was already morning when we got to the farm and as soon as the car stopped near the house it was essentially swarmed by people. Rick gets out and is hugged by a small boy and a skinny brunette, who must be his family as the boy had yelled “Dad”. I frown at how “Hallmark” it was and when I looked at Merle I knew the feeling was mutual. Sure both of us probably had the remaining members of our families here but ours thought we were dead and would probably have the same reaction as Hershel, disbelieve and anger that we didn’t come back sooner, and neither of us were the let our soft side show type of person. Though that didn’t mean I didn’t chuckle seeing Maggie run up and bypass Hershel to hug Glenn. Who would’ve thought that my sister would’ve found herself a boyfriend after the world ended? Then again she never really had trouble finding one before the world ended.

“Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery. Glenn, let them out.” Hershel says when he walks away as Glenn shrugs out of Maggie’s hold causing almost everyone to draw their attention to the car. “Who the hell are they?!” a male voice voices what everyone was probably thinking so Glenn motions to Randall answering “That’s Randall.” As he comes around to the back and opens it for us to get out adding “Merle found us and she’s Nai…Nai Greene.” This causes Maggie who was following him with her eyes instead of looking in the car to run to the back breathing out “Oh my God.” As a voice similar to Merle’s growls “What the hell did ya just say Chinaman?” while other voices whisper different versions of Glenn’s reaction to seeing Merle again. “Merle’s back.” Glenn says as Maggie screams at me “We thought you were dead! Where were you?!” and Merle climbs out of the car. “I was trapped in Atlanta.” I answer before scoffing “Ya’d think my own family would’ve had more faith in me.” As a rugged man, who was arguably attractive and held a resemblance to Merle, with a crossbow appeared next to Glenn looking at Merle like he was looking at a ghost. Merle softly chuckles at my words before greeting “Hey there baby brother.” As he turns and scoops me up again while Maggie screeches “What were we supposed to think?! Why is he carrying you?!” blocking his path from carrying me to the house. “Well, my dear sister, since we’ve been together since we ran into each other in the city and I got shot while saving your boyfriend’s skin he insists on carrying me. I am under orders from Dad not to move my leg until he gets the blasted bullet out after all.” I answer placing an arm around Merle’s neck and then patting my wound, knowing she was probably going to get the wrong idea no matter what I said so I played it to the extreme. This of course causes her to freeze, blush, and breathe out “Together? Boyfriend?” and Merle to look away from his still stunned brother and down at me with a smirk obviously wanting to play up her misunderstanding. I give him a ‘No.’ Look as I point towards the house saying “Just go that way before she snaps out of it.”

He huffs but listens only for us to get stopped yet again by someone blocking the path. This time by Daryl who was now out of his shock and angrily says “We thought you were dead man but you were just getting some ass.” While not even once looking in my direction. Before I can say anything Merle snaps “Ya best watch yer mouth baby brother! Nai ain’t just some piece of ass! Ya’ll show her some respect!” A collective gasp was heard then as everyone else got a look of shock and looked between the three of us while Daryl’s face changes from annoyed anger to actual anger as he looks between the two of us. This was probably the first time that Merle had defended someone, let alone a woman, against him. I admit I felt kind of bad that I was the reason Merle was looking at and treating his own brother how he was but at the same time I wanted to make Daryl suffer a little for basically calling me a slut. But before it could escalate any more Hershel decided to call “Although I appreciate you defending my daughter it’s time to get the bullet out of her leg.” In response Merle huffs before giving Daryl one last warning look before walking past him and sending a glare at the other who had yet to stop staring at us as he walked towards Hershel who was waiting in the doorway.

Merle follows Hershel inside and up the stairs with a grumble under his breath while the door slammed shut behind us, meaning we weren’t followed. “I’m not that heavy.” I state which causes Merle to grunt out “Heavy enough.” “I think yer out of shape Dixon. Besides yer the one who insisted on carrying me.” I state causing him to growl “Whatever.” I roll my eyes at him as he steps into my room before Hershel tells him “Just set her down and head outside.” Merle sets me down on the bed but doesn’t leave causing Hershel to look at him and go to tell him to leave again only for him to say “I ain’t leavin’ her.” While looking at me with an ‘I’m staying.’ look. So I sigh out an “It’s fine. He isn’t gonna leave no matter how many times ya or I tell him.” It seems that in the thirteen days that I’ve known him Merle’s become annoyingly protective. Then again neither of us would be alive if it wasn’t for the other so I guess it was his way of repaying me.

Hershel sighs and nods at Patricia, when she walks in, so she comes over and, as gently as possible, slides off my pants after Hershel unwrapped the binding. “Th-“Hershel starts to say but I cut him off with a “I know. Let’s just get this over with.” He sighs before grabbing the tweezers and after Patricia had the tourniquet in place went for the bullet. “Mom, Shawn, Beth, and Otis?” I ask then trying to block out the pain causing Patricia to explain “Annette, Shawn, and Otis are dead while Beth is in some sort of state of shock.” “When?” I breathe out so she gives me a comforting smile as she says “Annette and Shawn not long after it started. Otis when getting medical equipment to save Rick’s son’s life after a hunting accident.” “Hunting accident?” I question holding a hand up to Merle before he could comment as Hershel get the bullet out and drops it in the metal pan so she answers “Otis didn’t see him standing behind a deer. The bullet broke up through the deer and hit Carl.” “I see.” I bite out watching as Hershel cleans the wound and the area around it. “We’re lucky. It missed the arteries and didn’t hit the bone. You should be able to walk normally in a few days.” Hershel says then wrapping gauze around my leg causing Merle to growl “She still got shot.” “True, but she’s not dead or permanently disabled because of it. I’m grateful for that as should you.” Hershel tells him wiping his hands with a washcloth which causes Merle to huff, grumble something under his breath, and suddenly become interested in the books on the bookshelf instead.

Hershel looks at me then so I shake my head with a ‘ignore him’ look. He sighs before looking at Patricia saying “We need to go tend to Randall now.” She nods so he looks back at me and tells me “I’m glad you’re finally home, Nai.” “Me too.” I say with a small smile so the two of them return it before Patricia picks up the equipment as Hershel takes the washcloth with him as he walks out. “He always like that?” Patricia whispers to me then motioning to Merle, who was surprisingly looking in/possibly reading _The Road_. “Worse.” I mutter causing her to chuckle and shake her head before saying “By the way, if you want to pay your respects they’re buried near the big oak tree.” And leaving the room.

The door didn’t even have time to shut before Maggie came in pleading “Please tell me you’re seriously not dating that guy.” “I’m not dating him Mags.” I state pulling my pants back on causing her to say “Good. He’s more than double your age.” “So what? Age is just a number.” I state standing up, careful not to put too much weight on my injured leg and giving Merle a ‘Don’t you dare say anything’ look. “Nai, you can’t be serious.” She breathes out causing me to roll my eyes and tell her “Look, if it wasn’t for him I’d be dead or worse and if it wasn’t for me he’d be dead. No matter if I’m dating him or not or what anyone says I’m stayin’ with him.” “And I’m stayin’ with her.” Merle adds causing me to send him a glare as Maggie huffs and says “Fine. You could have just said that from the beginning, you know? Anyway there’s going to be a group meeting in the dinning room in a few minutes.” Walking out before I could retort.

Sighing I sit back down on the bed and shake my head at how stupid this has gotten. “So-“Merle starts so I cut him off with a “Don’t ya dare.” “Come on Peepers. Why not make it official?” He asks smirking with a look of ‘You started it’ causing me to state “Yer a goddamn child.” “But I’m yer goddamn child.” He responds chuckling, meaning he was purely just messing with me now, before coming over, offering his flesh hand, and asking “Ready to meet the rest of the fuckers?” “Not really.” I say but take his hand anyway and let him pull me up as he chuckles at my response.

 Coming down the stairs we see that the group was starting to gather. Merle got a couple of hateful looks from Merle’s old group while I just got judging ones when I stand next to Maggie and Merle stands next to me. I roll my eyes and ignore them before I glance and see that Merle’s busy giving them a deadly glare in return. It was sort of funny that Merle was the one that knew they weren’t the ones who were in charge here or the ones that had the power to kick him out. That would be Hershel, but he wouldn’t do that without my permission or if Merle got violent with me, which at this point I highly doubt would happen.

Once everyone, minus Hershel who I assume was finishing up with Randall and Daryl who I assume was pouting at getting scolded by Merle, was gathered Rick starts talking “We couldn’t just leave Randall behind. He would’ve bled out, if he lived that long. We wouldn’t have made it back at all if it wasn’t for Merle and Nai.” That’s when Glenn pipes up with “It’s gotten bad in town.” So I add “Deadheads have taken the town. Bad’s an understatement.” With a huff of annoyance. “What do we do with him?” The blonde questions, diverting the subject back to Randall, before Hershel joins the group saying “I repaired his calf muscle as best I can, but he’ll probably have nerve damage. Won’t be on his feet for at least a week.” “When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way.” Rick says as Daryl silently joins the group as well before the blonde questions “Isn’t that the same as leaving him for the walkers?” “He’ll have a fighting chance.” Rick says as I catch the look the older woman gives Daryl causing me to glance at Merle to see if he caught it too.

He had as he glanced in my direction at the same time with a look that screamed ‘are you seeing this?’ I gave him a small nod as the bald man says “Just gonna let him go? He knows where we are.” This causes Rick to counter “He was blindfolded the whole way here. He’s not a threat.” “Not a threat. How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage, but they just ain’t gonna come looking for him?” The bald man counters causing Rick to respond “They left him for dead. No one is looking.” “We should still post a guard.” The African American says then so Hershel informs “He’s out cold right now, will be for hours.” “You know what? I’m gonna go get him some flowers and candy.” The bald man starts before scoffing as he starts to leave while adding “Look at this, folks! We back in Fantasyland.”

“You know, we haven’t even dealt with what you did at my barn yet.” Hershel states then causing me to stop mid-sigh and fully pay attention to the conversation now while Hershel continues “Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all. This is my farm. Now I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor. Keep your mouth shut.” After the guy stopped and looked at him. Luckily the guy keeps quiet and just sighs and places his hands on his head and pulls them down as he heads out the door.  Whatever he did pissed Hershel off enough that he was willing to kick him out and reinforce the fact that ultimately he was in charge of making decisions on the farm. It seems that our reunion dropped us into a group ready to break.

“Look, we’re not gonna do anything about it today. Let’s just cool off.” Rick says then placing a hand on Hershel’s shoulder and with this the group starts to disperse. So much for an introduction. Merle’s old group obviously didn’t care who I was just that I had come with Merle since they just sent me one of their judging looks as they went past me. “Nai.” Hershel says then so I question “Yeah?” while looking at him. “I’d like you to check out Beth too. See what you think and for her to see you.” He tells me so I nod before looking at Merle with a ‘don’t follow me’ look. “Why not?” He questions with a smirk, that said he already knew the answer, so I just sigh out a “Ya know why ya big child.” And follow Hershel into the spare room where Beth lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.

“Hey, Bethy Boo. I’m finally home.” I say going over and taking her hand while Hershel leaves without a word. I assume to leave me alone with her to see if she’ll come out of it with me. But she barely blinks or registers that I’m there so I sigh and squeeze her hand a little before I can hear a muffled Maggie ask the question “What’s going on with you?” “Your dad saved my life today. And Rick saved us both with the help of your sister and Merle. While I…I froze.” Glenn’s muffled voice replies causing Maggie’s to respond “Well, you were being shot at. Nai even got hit.” “No, that…” He starts trailing off so Maggie says “You don’t have anything to prove.” “All I’ve done. Then this…okay…it’s because of what you said.” He responds causing me to raise an eyebrow before both shoot up when Maggie questions “That I love you?” “Yeah. A bullet hit the wall behind me. And I…I thought of you…losing me, hurting. Then Nai got hit and I couldn’t take it. So I hid…to stay alive.” He says causing her to say a soft “Glenn.” But he then says a sort of angry “No, no, no. No, you don’t get it. Rick, Merle, your dad…they were counting on me and I...I only thought of myself.”

“Well, that was interesting.” I sigh out before Hershel comes back into the room so I move so he could check her again. Maggie comes into the room then so I move so she could see Beth too before Hershel looks at her questioning “Has she eaten?” Maggie just shakes her head in response so Hershel says “I’ll give her a sedative. Stop her body from working too hard.” “You were drinking.” Maggie says then in a pained voice only for Hershel to say “That was the least of my worries.” “You left and I didn’t know what to do!” Maggie cries at him then before looking at me and saying “And you…you come back after weeks of this and with the brother of Daryl Dixon no less.” “I know Mags.” I tell her with an apologetic smile while Hershel just stays quiet causing me to sigh a “Let’s go Mags.” As I pause next to her on my way out and place a hand on her shoulder.

She sighs and turns so I pat her shoulder a little as we leave with an “I need a shower.” “Yeah. I’m sorry Nai but you really do.” Maggie says then with a forced laugh so I say “I know…I’m sorry that I wasn’t here for Mom, Shawn, and Otis.” “I know if you could have been here you would have been. It’s just…” She says trailing off so I nod saying “I know. Merle isn’t really one I’d associate with. But like I told ya I’d be dead if it wasn’t for him and he’d be if it wasn’t for me. And if you hadn’t noticed he’s now annoyingly protective because of it.” “Everyone’s noticed Nai and their group isn’t happy about it or him being back.” She tells me seriously so I nod muttering “I noticed.” “I’m really happy you’re back and surprisingly happy that you found a friend…Even if it is Merle Dixon. And…” She says seriously trailing off before grinning and chuckling “You really need that shower.” Causing me to chuckle “Thanks Mags.” “Oh…” She says then trailing off so I look at her and she continues “I should probably tell you what happened here while you were gone.”   

****Time Skip****

“It’s almost like someone wanted all this to happen.” I mutter as I stand in front of the four graves in fresh clothes after my shower thinking back on the ball of coincidences that got me here. These graves belonged to Annette, Shawn, Otis, and Sophia, a little girl from Merle’s old group. Apparently the whole reason the group stopped was because of a horde that separated her from the rest of the group. Then Otis accidentally shot Rick’s son, Carl, and they came to the farm. If it wasn’t for that…they would have been long gone by the time Merle and I got here and he probably would have never seen Daryl again. Hell, if I hadn’t have decided to start going home that day I would have never met Merle and probably would have never made it back here at all. I also couldn’t believe how Hershel had just thought that they were sick and locked them in the barn. He should have known that they were no longer breathing not have to have one shot multiple times in major organs. It would have been a major fight between us if I had come home when he was still having them locked in the barn.

“Nai…I…uh.” I hear the voice of Daryl forcefully say, like it was hurting him to do so, from behind me so I turn to look at him saying “Get to the point Dixon.” His face morphs into minor rage then as he scoffs “Forget it.” Causing me to roll my eyes and start to walk past him only for him to grab my arm harshly, stopping me. “Dammit Dixon. What?” I practically growl looking up at him to see he was looking away from me with a clenched jaw as he muttered something under his breath. Narrowing my eyes I question “What was that?” “I’m sorry.” He repeats barely over a whisper causing me to sigh “Don’t worry about it. I’ve been called worse.” He doesn’t respond to that but lets me go so I roll my eyes again and continue on my way back to the house. It was a little early but I’m going on almost a day of no sleep and now had a bed to sleep in again so I was going to get some sleep. I mean, who knows what this next week will bring us?


	4. Chapter 4-Waiting Game

Chapter 4–Waiting Game

_Day One_

__I sigh as the quiet sound of my watches beeping woke me up. Shutting it off, I sit up listening or any sounds of danger. I only heard faint sounds of everyday life. It was a welcome sound but it’d be too dangerous to get too comfortable. Deadheads are always going to be a threat we have to be prepared for and as I already knew the living was too. With a relieved sigh I place the knife, which I had placed under the pillow just in case, back in its sheath at my side. With that I stretch as I stand up before fixing my disheveled clothes and running a hand through my tangled hair. I glance at my reflection in the little stand mirror on the dresser and fix my hair a little better.

With that I head out and into the kitchen. There I found Maggie and the brunette I assume is Rick’s wife. “Morning.” I say and get a “Morning Nai.” From Maggie and a simple “Morning.” From the brunette before she wipes her hands off and offers me one of them adding “I’m Lori, Rick’s wife. If you haven’t figured that out.” “Nai, Hershel’s eldest daughter. If you haven’t figured that out.” I respond shaking her hand once before grabbing an apple from the basket on the counter asking “How’s Beth?” “Still frozen but looking better.” Maggie tells me before adding “Try not to start a Dixon fight today.” “Can’t promise anything.” I mutter turning on my heel before taking a bite of the apple as I go to head out to see if Merle had taken his issue with the group off the back-burner. If he had, it would be a long day of calming him and the others down.

Unfortunately I don’t get further than ten steps when Hershel’s “dad” voice questions “Where are you going?” “Out.” I answer pausing as I turn to look at him only for him to respond with “No you’re not.” “Why not Old Man?” I question only to get the ‘don’t test me’ look as he answers “You need to rest that leg or it won’t heal. I shouldn’t have to tell you this.” “Fine.” I sigh so he nods saying “Thank you. I’ve already asked Glenn to tell Merle about it.” “That’s sure to go well.” I mutter before turning and going back to my room to grab a book and rest, as practically ordered.

****Time Skip****

“There’s no pictures.” Merle mutters standing in front of my bookshelf yet again with a book in his hands having come because quote “It’s weird without ya Peepers.” So he’s been spending a while going through my books…again and this time decided to flip through _The Last Man_. “Sorry _my_ books don’t meet ya standards.” I scoff turning the page of the one I was currently trying to read: _Blindness_. “Ya know what I mean Peepers.” He mutters back causing me to sigh “Still my books not yer’s.”

_Day Two_

__“I swear to god Dixon! If ya don’t pick one and sit down I’ll kick ya out!” I exclaim tired of his now mumbled complaints after the pointless fighting about the ratio of books with pictures versus those that didn’t we did practically all day yesterday. In response he grumbles under his breath a “must be that time.” as he places the book he currently had in his hand and got _The Road_ again. “I better have hear that wrong.” I growl snapping my own book shut in a threatening manner only to get a “Heard what?” in response as he came over and sat next to me on the bed and opened the book. “That’s what I thought.” I mutter re-opening my book causing him to chuckle. It was strange how we just naturally started bickering after that major fight. I mean, it was strange that I got as close as I did to Merle as fast as I did. It took me at least a year before I even got remotely as close to Maggie and Beth. But Merle…only a few days. Which was even stranger given the fact that he behaved and thought the way he did.

_Day Three_

__“So…are ya really related to them?” Merle asks suddenly from his spot on the opposite end of the bed causing me to question “What makes ya ask?” not even looking up from my book. Today was my last day of “bed rest” so I wanted to finish it before tomorrow. Though I’ll probably never truly finish The Ender Quintet as I never got around to getting the last books in the series _Ender in Exile_ and the parallel story _A War of Gifts: An Ender Story_. Maybe I’ll find them on a supply run but that’s just a pipe dream. I know I’ll never truly finish the second series of the Ender’s Game: _The Shadow Series_ as the last book _Shadows in Flight_ was set to be released in two more years. I was also hoping to find another copy of _Song of the Sparrow_ since I had been reading it while on break at work so it was still sitting in my locker in the back room. I thought about going to get it but I wasn’t going to go the opposite direction just for a book.

“Ya don’t look like ‘em.” He answers with a hum, like he was thinking, so I look up at him and decide to answer truthfully “I’m not. Hershel adopted me when I was sixteen.” “Adopted? Yer actual parents dead or something?” He questions causing me to scoff “Hopefully.” He just gives me a look to continue then so I sigh and question “Ya know how I said I know what it’s like to be alone in a dangerous place before all this?” “Yeah.” He grunts so I continue “Well, my parents, if they could even be called that, abandoned me in the streets of Atlanta when I was ten.” “Why?” He growls, but at me or them I don’t know, so I sigh again before answering “I was too old to continue playing the lost kid role while they had me pickpocket people. If I got caught before then I could just pretend I was pulling on their sleeve to get their attention and ask ‘Have you seen my mommy?’ But at ten the responses changed from them being worried to them being angry.” He’s angry himself now as he growls “So they just left ya?” “My name literally means the concept of nothing. It was only a matter of time before they discarded me.” I answer instantly causing him to snap “That don’t make it right.” “I know.” I snap back before sighing “I do think of them as my family.”

“I know.” He sighs then as he looks back down at _The Road_ , which he’s still reading or pretending to, signaling that the conversation wasn’t going to continue so I say “I know ya know.” Before muttering “Did ya know I think the same for ya?” He’s silent so I look back at my own book, _Children of the Mind,_ before hearing a mumbled “Same here.” From him. I hum signaling that I heard him which just causes him to grunt an angry “Shut up.”

_Day Four_

“Hey Nai.” Glenn says getting my attention just as I step outside onto the porch so I pause, look at him, and hum out “Hey Glenn.” “Merle asked me to take you to meet the others since he went hunting with Daryl.” He says then, in a tone that meant Merle didn’t ask but told him, so I say “Ya mean told ya.” “Uh…yeah.” He answers sheepishly before quickly saying “But I don’t mind doing it! I mean…” trailing off. “Thanks.” I chuckle before getting serious and saying “But before I agree to let ya do that I need to know somethin’.” “Huh? Okay. What do you need to know?” He responds with a friendly smile so I question “Did my sister really tell ya she loved ya?” Instantly he questions “You heard us?” so I respond “Just answer the question Glenn.” After a minute of him looking at me trying to figure out if I was serious he answers “Yeah…I didn’t say it back though…I mean I’ve never had a woman say that to me before, you know. Except my mom, of course, and my sisters. But with Maggie, it’s different. I mean, we barely know each other. What does she really know about me? Nothing. We’re practically strangers. But I didn’t know what to do with it. I just stood there like a jerk. Then I hold it over her like I don’t feel the same about her.”

“Glenn.” I sigh then so he questions “Yeah?” “All ya had to say was yes.” I sigh causing him to breathe out an “Oh…Sorry.” “Don’t worry about it. Yer probably gonna be my brother-in-law so I should be someone ya want to talk to. Just warn me next time.” I tell him placing a hand on his shoulder causing him to blush and say “Oh…uh…Thank you…And…uh, I will.” “Good.” I answer with a nod causing him to grin and say “Glenn’s tour is starting now.” Before dramatically doing a come on motion. I chuckle at him and the fact that he was actually a good guy and would be good to Maggie. Though he may be a little stupid and naive I approve of him.

“Hey Dale.” Glenn greets as we come up on the old man while he was putting some wood in the fire pit. “Ah, Glenn.” He says as he turns to look at him before noticing me and greeting “Ah, hello Nai. That leg of yours all healed?” “Yeah. Thanks.” I answer giving him a small smile which he returns as he says “That’s good.” “Oh, T. You’re just in time.” Glenn says then causing the African American who had just come out one of the tents to question “For what?” “I’m taking Nai around to meet everyone.” Glenn informs motioning to me from my spot at his side causing T-Dog to slowly look at me before getting a somewhat reluctant look on his face as he says “Oh, hey. I’m Theodore but you can call me T-Dog or simply T.” “Hey.” I greet giving a small nod which he returns before Glenn says “There’s three more to go. Let’s go!” doing another dramatic come on motion.

“Hey Andrea!” Glenn calls to the blonde on top of the R.V. with a rifle as we get closer to it. “What is it Glenn? I’m busy.” She answers not even looking at us so he explains again “I’m taking Nai around to meet everyone.” That got her to look at us for a second but she immediately turned back to watching saying “That’s great.” “It’s fine.” I mutter as Glenn gives me an apologetic look causing him to give me a small smile as he says “Off to the next one then.” With that I follow him to where the older woman was busying herself with taking down laundry.

“Hey Carol.” Glenn greets causing her to pause mid-fold to look at him as she says “Uh…hi Glenn…Nai.” In a sad tone. “How are you doing?” Glenn asks then causing her to continue what she was doing as she answers “I’m fine...But a mother should never have to outlive her child.” “I’m sorry.” I tell her, slightly wondering if my own mother ever felt sorrow for abandoning me, causing her to give me a small smile for a second before continuing with her task. With that Glenn gives me a small smile again before he says “Last one…But…I should warn you that you probably shouldn’t make him mad.” “Or what? Is baldy gonna kick me out of my own home?” I question, using process of elimination to determine that the last one was the bald guy with a bad temper, causing Glenn to get a look that screamed ‘I forgot about that.’ Before he says “I guess not but…” trailing off. “Fine. I won’t purposely make him mad.” I sigh out causing Glenn to say “Thank you. Come on.”

Like I thought bald man was “guarding” the locked up Randall with the anger I’m sure was now an almost permanent fixture to his face. “Hey Shane. I’m taking Nai here around to meet everyone and you’re the last one.” Glenn says in a friendly tone as we get closer to him which causes him to look at us with a glare as he practically stalks our way snapping “We’re not on some camping trip Glenn.” “I know-“Glenn starts only for him to get cut off by Shane saying “You don’t as you’re taking time away from what needs to be done to do pointless introductions.” “Already writing me off are ya?” I question with an innocent tone before getting a threatening one as I smirk adding “Because if ya are I have news for ya. I live here and won’t go down without a fight.” This causes him to give me a deadly glare which I counter with my own as Glenn tries “I know things are stressful but let’s save it for the Walkers okay?” But like with Merle there was no way I was going to back down and eventually Shane got that and growled “Yeah.” While turning away.

“You’re as bad as Merle.” Glenn sighs as we walk back to the house so I say “He started it.” “Still.” Glenn says before looking at me and adding “But I was surprised with he backed down. I mean, you’re like what…a little older then Beth?” “I’m twenty-five…Regardless, it was certain that Shane would back down since Merle did.” I state only for him to exclaim “He did what?!” “Seriously?” I question so he says “Sorry…It’s just Merle doesn’t back down to anyone.” “That’s not exactly true anymore is it?” I question with a smirk causing him to smile saying “Guess not. You’re like a one stop shop of awesomeness.” “Don’t know if I’d say that. But…I am pretty awesome.” I respond smirking causing him to chuckle “You’re so much like my sisters it’s scary.” “Oh? Well it’s a good thing I’m going to be one.” I state placing an arm around his shoulders causing him to copy the action chuckling “Yeah.”

_Day Five_

__“Is squirrel even edible?” I question watching as Merle and Daryl skinned the squirrels they caught after they got back from their overnight hunting trip which earned a grunted “Yeah.” from Merle and a half curious half angry look from Daryl. Probably because most women, let alone people, would be disgusted at what they were doing but I was on track to be a doctor and I basically did the same thing with the Deadheads when I was collecting blood and guts for my jars.

“I don’t know if I believe ya.” I mutter poking the one Merle was currently doing as I’m sure if I did it to Daryl’s I’d might lose the finger. “Believe me Peepers. It’s just like chicken.” Merle states with a smirk and humor in his voice so I look at him with my eyes narrowed as I state “Not everything tastes like chicken.” “Well this does.” He answers his smirk still on his face which causes me to snap “What else?!” We’d actually had a similar argument back at the housing development with a can of food that we found that didn’t have a label anymore. For some reason every can that we found in that house didn’t have a label. I even debated about looking in the fridge it see if there was labels on that stuff but thought better of it. Power had been out for weeks and anything that needed to be in the fridge to stay good was definitely rotten. Let’s just say it wasn’t tuna but minced clams. The only type of seafood I can tolerate eating is tuna, which Merle knew, so he got a couple nice punches and choice words while he just laughed calling me a child.

“Some of them said it was like pork.” Daryl half-growls then pointing his knife in the direction of camp so I tell him “Thank you.” Before snapping at Merle “Was that so hard?” “Down girl.” Merle chuckles then causing me to push him off the log with an “I’m not a dog.” “Cat then?” He chuckles earning a nice kick to the ribs with a snapped “No.” “Aw is the little girl upset?” He chuckles but this time catches my foot and pushes me off the other side of the log earning a yelped “Merle!” from me and a growled “Go flirt somewhere else.” From Daryl. Which causes Merle and I to laugh out “Flirt? With him/her? Yer crazy little brother/younger Dixon.”

_Day Six_

__“Hey, Bethy Boo.” I greet walking into the room she was in with Maggie after she told me she was out of her shock. “Nai…Mom and Shawn.” Beth breathes out with tears in her eyes so I say a gentle “I know, Boo.” As I go and hug her to me. Maggie joins us before questioning Beth “Hungry?” as we both release her. “No.” She answers so I tell her “Ya still need to eat something.” This causes her to get angry as she snaps “Or what? You’re going to force me? You’re not even my real sister.” “I’m just as much yer sister as Maggie is Beth. But if ya feel that way I’ll leave.” I tell her turning and leaving with Maggie close behind and as soon as we get out of the room she grabs my arm saying “She doesn’t mean that.” “Look, Maggie, deep down I know you feel that way too. My personality isn’t the easiest to get along with and we’re not related by blood.” I tell her gently taking her hand off my arm causing her to say “That’s not true Nai.” “It is true Maggie.” I sigh while turning away from her and walking away, not waiting for a response.

_Day Seven_

Rick and Shane had just left with Randall when I went into the kitchen where Maggie and Lori were at, just like that first morning back. “Hey.” I greet earning one back from the two before Maggie hands me a half of tomato with a “Here.” “Thanks.” I tell her before taking a bite of it as she looks at Lori questioning “Rick say anything to you about Glenn when they got back from town?” “Just that it had gotten pretty bad.” Lori answers causing Maggie to say “He’s not the same. Says he froze. Blames me. Says I got inside his head.” “He came back. That’s what matters…Me have to do certain things, you know that, and they’re either gonna blame the little woman as the reason they do ‘em or the reason they don’t. I’ll tell you something. What happens out there, happens out there. And we…we’re just trying to keep it together till they get back.” Lori says causing Maggie to start to say “Things were good. Maybe I-““Glenn’s a big boy. He makes his own choices. I mean, do you…do you have anything to apologize for?”  Lori says cutting her off so I say “That’s right. Do _you_ have anything to apologize for?”

Maggie shakes her head no so Lori says “Tell him to man up and pull himself together. Just don’t say, ‘Man up’. It never goes well.” With a chuckle at the end. “Nope.” I state with a chuckle as well causing Maggie to smile at me before Lori asks “So Maggie’s into Glenn but who’s Nai into?” looking at me and taking a bite out of a cucumber slice. “What? Nobody.” I state giving her an ‘are you crazy’ look only for Maggie to say “Come on. There has to be someone you find attractive…It better not be Glenn.” “I wouldn’t do that to ya. Besides he ain’t my type.” I inform only for the two women to grin saying “So you do have a type.” “Yer relentless.” I state shaking my head of the picture of Daryl the popped up as there’s no way I would let myself like him like that which just causes the two women to chuckle. Maggie then goes to grab the tray of food they were making saying “Let me just get this to Beth.” “You go on. I got it.” Lori tells her grabbing the tray and walking off before Maggie could counter her.

“I don’t like anybody.” I state again when Maggie gives me a look that told me she didn’t believe me. “Sure. But when I catch you with one of them you owe me.” She tells me causing me to roll my eyes before she adds “By the way…do you think you could go and collect the apples we can’t reach with the ladder.” While grabbing the empty basket next to her and holding it out to me. “Fine.” I say taking it from her before adding “But if I fall you owe me.” Which causes her to laugh as I head outside and towards the apple tree. I was happy that she dropped the subject from yesterday and about who I would like. I know they truly saw me as part of the family but there would always be some part of them that knew I’d never truly be part of it.

I had just started climbing the tree after positioning the basket where I could easily drop the apples into when a voice says “Hey.” Not expecting it I get startled and slip a little but catch myself before snapping “What the hell? Trying to kill me?” “We need to talk.” Daryl says then so I say “I’m busy.” “I don’t care.” He answers causing me to sigh and fully sit down on the branch I was on while looking down at him stating “Fine. What?” “What’d ya do to my brother?” He growls then so I state “Other than save his life? Nothin’.” “Then why…why does he treat ya like that?” He questions causing me to roll my eyes as I say “I’m gonna need a little more than that Daryl.” “Normal! He treats ya normally! Not like he does any of the others…or me.” He snaps before getting quiet as he adds the last part so I say “So that’s why ya have a problem with me…Look, I don’t really know why Merle and I get along as well as we do. Hell, I tried leaving him back in Atlanta after taking him back to my apartment to clean his arm but he followed me. So if ya really want to know ask him.”

He opens his mouth to say something but before he could Andrea runs up exclaiming “Daryl have you seen Nai?!” “I’m right here. What’s up?” I question climbing down causing her to say “It’s Beth.” “Shit.” I say before telling Daryl “We’ll have to finish our talk later.” He just nods so I take off towards the house.

****Time Skip****

“Are you crazy?!” I snap at Beth so Maggie asks “What if Dad finds out?” “What’s he gonna do? Kill me for committing suicide?” “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I sigh dragging my hands over my face as Maggie walks over to her, sits on the edge of the bed saying “Stop being such a brat. He’d die. So would I. And Nai. This isn’t just about you. We all lost mom.” “May lose each other, and I couldn’t stand that.” Beth says causing me to question “So you give up?” so Maggie adds “Mom would be ashamed to know she raised such a coward. What about Dad, Beth?” “He’s clueless. He had us waiting for a cure.” Beth says with venom in her voice causing Maggie to fire back “He knows he was wrong.” “When has Dad ever admitted he was wrong? He’s just telling Rick’s group what they want to hear.” Beth says so Maggie questions “And Jimmy?” “We went out for three months and now I’m married to him?” Beth answers so Maggie asks “And me? You could do that to me? I can’t take another funeral.” Her voice cracking.

“You can’t avoid it.” Beth says then causing me to yell “Beth!” “What are we waiting for?” She questions looking between Maggie and me as she continues “We should all do it.” **“What?”** Maggie and I breathe out causing Beth to say “At the same time. Help each other.” “No.” Maggie says but Beth continues “It’s hard to do it. No one wants to, but…we could do it so it’s easy. Our choice.” “No! Stop talking like that!” Maggie yells crying but Beth says “Then it would be over. Or we’ll be forced to do it when the farm and this house is overrun. No one can protect us.” “That’s not true.” Maggie says shaking her head causing Beth to say “Who, Glenn? I heard what happened. Rick will save his family, the others too. We’re alone. You, me, Nai, Patricia, with only Dad and Jimmy against a whole world of those things.” “I haven’t been back here long but I know Rick would do everything in his power to help us!” I snap only for her to snap back at me “I don’t want to be gutted!” before looking between the two of us again adding “I want to go…in this bed tonight…with my sisters beside me…Please.”

“Dammit Beth!” I shout before yelling “To kill yerself because yer scared?! Grow the fuck up! What if I did that?! Huh?! Way back when or back in Atlanta?! I will do everything in my power to protect ya! Hell I’d die for ya, kill for ya, or anything for ya or anyone in this family! But I will not let ya kill yerself! Ya hear me?!” She just looks at me defiantly so I yell another “Dammit Beth!” before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind me. I really need to hit something now as I violently rubbed my head, surly making my hair a mess, while going to try and cool off on the porch.

I’m soon joined by Maggie so I ask “Who’s with her?” “Andrea.” She answers before saying “I don’t know what to do to help her.”  “I don’t either.” I sigh placing my head in my hands. I had no idea how to handle this and it was driving me insane.

****Time Skip****

Walking back into the room, after we’ve both calmed down, we discover it’s empty. We look at each other confused before we hear crying from the bathroom. **“Beth?”** we question walking over to the bathroom door before we hear glass breaking causing us to run to it yelling **“Beth?!”** We bang on the door and Maggie tries the handle but it’s locked. “Beth open the damn door!” I order as Lori comes in questioning “What’s wrong?” “She’s in there. We heard glass.” Maggie answers causing Lori to come over asking “Beth, you all right?” “Don’t do this, Beth. Don’t do this. Open up, please.” Maggie tries one more time before turning to look for the key saying “God, I left her with Andrea.”  “Where’s the key?” Lori asks causing me to snap “If we knew we’d already have the door open.” Maggie gives up trying to find the key and comes back pleading “Beth, honey, please open the door. We’re not mad. We’re not mad, Beth.” While Lori goes over to the fireplace.

“Move.” I hear Lori say then so I turn and see that she’d grabbed the fireplace stick. I move and Lori quickly uses it like a crowbar and pries open the door. Beth turns around holding a hand over her wrist as it bleed all over the floor while crying “I’m sorry.” Maggie and I quickly go over to her and take her in our arms telling her **“Okay. It’s okay.”** As we lead her back to the bed. “Lori can ya please run and get our Dad?” I question taking Beth’s bleeding wrist in my own hands, placing as much pressure as possible. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without something to stop the bleeding or stitch the wound. Soon Hershel comes in with Lori and Patricia following close behind and he, Patricia, and I get to work.

After Beth’s wrist was stitched and bandaged I stand and storm out of the room and outside. I know I’m being followed but I don’t care enough to turn around. Just as I step outside the source of my rage was running up to the house, Andrea. “I just heard is she okay?” she questions only for me to shout “She would be if ya had stayed with her! Where were ya?!” “How bad is she?” She questions and Lori answers “It wasn’t deep.” From behind me causing Andrea to take a sigh of relief as she says “She wants to live. She made her decision.” “She tried to kill herself.” Maggie says as it was taking all my self-control to not beat the ever-loving shit out of Andrea.

“No she didn’t.” Andrea says causing me to snap “I just got done stitching her wrist!” “She’ll live.” She tells me going to walk past us causing me to snap completely and punch her as hard as I could, sending her falling back and to the ground holding her face. “Stay the hell away from her! From her, Maggie, and me. Don’t you dare step foot inside this house again. Ya hear me?” I yell at her practically seething causing her to nod as she picks herself up off the ground and walks back in the direction she came from. With that I storm back into the house in into my room. I shut the door behind me before walking over and going into my closet. Closing the door behind me I situate myself in a spot on the floor. Closing my eyes I focus on listening to the sounds surrounding me trying to calm myself down. I’ve never been this mad at someone even my biological parents when I realized they weren’t coming back for me. Even when Merle almost got us killed…It scared me and I didn’t know what I would end up doing if I stayed this mad.

After a few minutes I hear the sound of my door opening followed by soft steps into my room. Not surprisingly it was Lori’s voice who calls “Nai?” Sighing I stand and open the closet door, effectively causing her to jump and gasp “God, Nai. You scared me.” “Sorry.” I say stepping out of the closet so she says “Look, I’m not gonna say she was right, but Beth has made her choice. She wants to live and now she knows it. And sometimes you have to cross the line.”  I take a deep breath as I look away from her not answering. “Nai…honey. Are you okay?” She questions gently startling me enough to look at her breathing out “I don’t know.” She smiles, comes over, and gives me a hug saying “It’s okay, Nai. No one blames you for hitting Andrea. Not even her.” I push her away but still find myself saying “I know…It’s…It’s just…I’ve never been that angry before…It scared me…I scared me.” “Oh honey. Your reaction was completely reasonable. Your baby sister was suicidal and you and Maggie trusted her to watch her.” She says placing her hands on my shoulders and giving a comforting rub as she continues “Look…Andrea’s sister died the night our previous camp got overrun and she wanted to stay at the CDC seconds before it blew up. But Dale made her get out then took away her gun. She then got attacked by a walker but didn’t have a weapon. Regardless she fought and decided she wanted to live herself. She thought the best thing would be to let Beth decided the same. I’m just asking you to see why she did what she did and to forgive her.” I sigh and look away from her with an “I make no promises.”


End file.
